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August 16, 2006
JINSA Report #595
Strange, But True
The most obvious shortcomings of UN Security Council Resolution 1701
are: a) that there is no mechanism to enforce its demands - specifically
that Hezbollah be disarmed, and; b) no mandate for the proposed UN
force. It was no surprise, therefore, that: a) Hezbollah announced that
it would not, in fact, disarm, and; b) although a number of countries
indicated a willingness to consider joining the UN force, none has made
a specific commitment. And, therefore, it IS a surprise to find the
French foreign minister jetting to Beirut for discussions with the
Lebanese prime minister on the "Lebanese plan" for Hezbollah's disarmament.
According to The Financial Times, French officials said "Paris would
resist leading a bolstered international force in southern Lebanon
without Lebanese government assurances that Hezbollah ... would be
disarmed," as Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy prepared for his
trip, "a visit likely to prove pivotal in deciding the fate of the
multinational UN force... Aides to Mr. Douste-Blazy said he wanted to
hear the Lebanese Army's plan for removing Hezbollah's missiles from a
'buffer zone' in south Lebanon. French officials ... say an
international force could not be deployed until a demilitarized zone was
created."
The story continues. "Diplomats in Paris are worried that Hezbollah,
which has declared the ceasefire a 'historic victory' for the Arabs, has
been emboldened and is now less likely to lay down its weapons. French
officials said Mr. Douste-Blazy would not accept any Lebanese plan short
of a full disarmament ... starting with the 20 km wide zone south of the
Litani River. 'We want an application of UN resolution 1701 in all its
aspects,' said a French diplomatic aide. 'It is up to the Lebanese
government to ensure the disarmament of Hezbollah,' the aide said."
The Lebanese, on the other hand, are playing their traditional role.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora has used the time to perfect his
whine about "poor Lebanon" and its inability to take on its obligations.
The Lebanese defense minister said the Lebanese Army had "no intention"
of disarming Hezbollah. According to the Financial Times, Elias Murr
"suggested Hezbollah understood that weapons could no longer be visible
in the buffer zone, but said that if troops came across missiles they
would not take them away."
But if we are no more pleased with the UN this week than last, we have
to admit that we are pleased to see France put its prestige on the line
on behalf of disarming Hezbollah - an act that would benefit Israel and
help minimize the "victory" claimed by Iran and Syria. And pleased that
the German Foreign Minister canceled his trip to Syria after Assad's
rant. Bilateral diplomacy raises the stakes for France and Germany, and
they didn't have to do it. They could have pretended that the
multilateral UN mush, for which no one is ultimately responsible, was
sufficient diplomatic exertion. They could have pretended none of this
has anything to do with them. They could have pretended it was Israel's
fault. It wouldn't have been the first time.
But they didn't. The rapid movement of European diplomats to secure the
(very) slender benefits of UNSCR 1701 for Israel is welcome.
To view this JINSA Report online click on the link below.
http://www.jinsa.org/JINSAReports/3516
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